In the 1920s and 30s the airlines were just beginning. It was unusual for people to travel by air because it was expensive and dangerous. In those days, there were no flight attendants to look after the passengers. Young men ,or “stewards” helped the passengers onto the airplane and carried the passengers’ luggage(行李)but they did not provide food and drinks. But then in 1930,a woman called Ellen Church invented the “stewardess”.

Ellen Church was born in 1904 on a farm in Iowa. She was a different child. She didn’t want to work on a farm or marry a farmer —she wanted a more adventurous(冒险的)life. Ellen studied to be a nurse at the University of Minnesota and then got a job in a hospital. For the next few years she stayed at the hospital but also took flying lessons and got her pilot’s license.

Ellen was twenty-five years old when she first got in touch with Boeing Air Transport. She loved flying but she understood that airlines were a man’s world. Although women like Emelia Earheart were becoming famous, she realized it was impossible for a woman to have a career as a pilot .But she had another idea. Most people were frightened of flying because. flying was still an unreliable(不可靠的) way to travel. There were often delays(延误),many crashes and the bad weathers made many passengers sick. Ellen thought nurses could take care of passengers during flights and B.A.T. agreed.

The young woman from Iowa and seven other nurses became the first air stewardesses.

At first pilots were unhappy because they did not want stewardesses on airplanes, but passengers loved the stewardesses. In 1940 there were around 1000 of them working for different airlines. The early “stewardesses” had to be under twenty-five-year-old, single and slim. When a woman joined an airline, she had to promise not to get married or have children. It was hard job and not well paid. They worked long hours and earned ＄1 an hour.

In the 1970s, stewardesses were unhappy in their job and airlines had to make some changes. Since the 1970s, “stewardesses” have been called flight attendants. They are well paid and work fewer hours than in the past.

1.The last sentence of the first paragraph suggests that _________.

A．the word “stewardess” was made up by Ellen Church

B．Ellen Church was the first woman who flew a plane

C．Ellen Church was the first woman who worked on a plane

D．Ellen Church was the first woman passenger on a plane

2.From the second paragraph, we learn that ________.

A．Ellen did not behave in the same way as most as other girls

B．Ellen’s family was not rich enough to support her education

C．Ellen was fond of working as a nurse in the hospital

D．Ellen has an unhappy childhood that changed her completely

3.The main reason for Boeing Air Transport offering Ellen the job was ________.

A．her flying experience                    B．her university education

C．her nursing experience                   D．her life attitudes

4.According to the passage, in the 1940s a woman had to ________ if she wanted to be a stewardess.

A．be a nurse         B．be married        C．be a mother       D．be young

5.The passage mainly talks about _______.

A．the background of early flying pilots         B．the experience of flying passengers

C．the history of early flight attendants         D．the development of airplanes

 

In the 1920s and 30s the airlines were just beginning. It was unusual for people to travel by air because it was expensive and dangerous. In those days, there were no flight attendants to look after the passengers(乘客). Young men ,or “stewards” helped the passengers onto the airplane and carried the passengers’ luggage(行李)but they did not provide food or drinks. But then in 1930,a woman called Ellen Church invented the “stewardess”.
Ellen Church was born in 1904 on a farm in Iowa. She was a different child. She didn’t want to work on a farm or marry a farmer —she wanted a more adventurous life. Ellen studied to be a nurse at the University of Minnesota and then got a job in a hospital. For the next few years she stayed at the hospital but also took flying lessons and got her pilot’s license.
Ellen was twenty-five years old when she first got in touch with Boeing Air Transport. She loved flying but she understood that airlines were a man’s world. Although women like Emelia Earheart were becoming famous, she realized it was impossible for a woman to have a career as a pilot .But she had another idea. Most people were frightened of flying because. flying was still an unreliable(不可靠的) way to travel. There were often delays(延误),many crashes and the bad weathers made many passengers sick. Ellen thought nurses could take care of passengers during flights and B.A.T. agreed.
The young woman from Iowa and seven other nurses became the first air stewardesses.
At first pilots were unhappy because they did not want stewardesses on airplanes, but passengers loved the stewardesses. In 1940 there were around 1000 of them working for different airlines. The early “stewardesses” had to be under twenty-five-year-old, single and slim. When a woman joined an airline, she had to promise not to get married or have children. It was a hard job and not well paid. They worked long hours and earned ＄1 an hour.
In the 1970s, stewardesses were unhappy in their job and airlines had to make some changes. Since the 1970s, “stewardesses” have been called flight attendants. They are well paid and work fewer hours than in the past.
【小题1】The underlined word “adventurous” means _____________.

A．奇怪的

B．平淡的

C．有趣的

D．冒险的

【小题2】The main reason for Boeing Air Transport offering Ellen the job was ________.

A．her flying experience	B．her university education
C．her nursing experience	D．her life attitudes

【小题3】According to the passage, in the 1940s a woman had to ________ if she wanted to be a stewardess.

A．be a nurse

B．be married

C．be a mother

D．be young

【小题4】The passage mainly talks about _______.

A．the background of early flying pilots

B．the experience of flying passengers

C．the history of early flight attendants

D．the development of airplanes

When I was a girl of 10, I joined the school cross-country team and practiced twice a week, on the 1,8-km course I'd never really run before and I thought the course would be easy. It was a real shock I ran out of breathe(喘气)within the first few minutes. I never realized how tiring running could be but I didn’t t think about give up.
Over time,I did get a little bit faster. However, I was really slow. In races, I would finish close to last. I'd always have to stop more than once, especially in the longer races, which were 2. 5 to 2. 8 km. After every race, I'd go home and cry. But 1 still didn't stop running, holding onto that picture of crossing the finishingline and finally doing well.  
Then one of my friends joined the team, too. She could run easily and even came in the 18^th in a big race! I felt so slow and my confidence(自信) was lower than ever. I became so nervous when I thought of the races that I wanted to give up badly.
Still. I refund to. Finally. 1 realized that the reason I was to nervous was that I was always worried that I wasn't ready for them. So a few weeks before the next 2. 8-km race. I practiced running almost 3 km every day. which helped me improve my pace(步伐).
When the time came for the big race, all that practicing really paid off. I stopped only once and my pace was so much better.
I realized that I’d finally gotten happiness with running. But the funny thing was. It didn't come from doing better, Instead, it came from the fact that I hid tried harder and never given up.
【小题1】 Before she took the 1.8-km course, the writer________.

A．knew a lot about it	B．wanted to be a great runner
C．practiced running every day	D．never thought running so tired

【小题2】The writer was nervous about the race because she_______.

A．had to stop to drink water	B．was worried she wasn’t ready
C．run slower than anyone else	D．could find no coach to help her

【小题3】The underlined phrase "paid off" probably mean “______”.

A．brought good results

B．coat a lot

C．saved much time

D．came to fail

【小题4】It can be inferred(推断) from the passage that the writer______.

A．got angry with her friend	B．wasn't pleased with herself
C．was a person with a strong mind	D．had no Interest In running

Tiffany, a 16-year-old girl, was very, shy. Last September, her best friend, Sophie, moved abroad with her family because she had to continue her studies in America. She even said she would not come back for at least a few years. Tiffany became    1.   and helpless. "I was really sad the moment I heard the bad news and I didn't know what to do," Tiffany recalled (回忆). "I    2.    myself in my room for a whole week. It was then that my aunt took me to a sports club one Saturday and I saw' so many young people playing various sports there. I signed up for a beginners' course in volleyball and since then I have been playing this sport. Now I practise twice a week there. It is wonderful playing sports in this club and I have made lots of     3.   as well. What's more, I feel I am much healthier than before."

     The most basic aim of playing sports is that you can improve your health even if you are not very good at sports.    4.   , you can get to know a circle of people at your age while playing sports. Tiffany used to be a very quiet girl. Since she joined the sports club, she has opened up herself and now she has become very    5.    and enjoys meeting and talking with others.

      For most people, that is one of the attractions of joining a sports club. You can get to know other young people who have similar interests. You don't have to sit down and talk to strangers.

You go in for sports and it is easier to understand your partners on the same team. Now Tiffany is quite    6.    her friends and she has also gained more confidence.

     Try to do regular sports. The mind needs exercise as well as the body.

7.A) angry     B) lonely       C) tired           D) surprised

8.A) shut    B) hurt         C) enjoyed          D) helped

9.A) trouble  B) mistakes     C) money           D) friends

10.A) So far   B) In addition   C) Once again      D) After all

11.A) active   B) strong       C) lucky          D) independent

12.A) generous to B) different from

C) popular with D) disappointed in